New to US stock investing? I've been doing this for over a decade. Here are the things I wish someone had told me when I started.

Starting to invest in US stocks can feel overwhelming. There's so much information out there, and a lot of it is conflicting. Let me give you a straightforward framework that actually works.

First thing - choosing a broker. For most people, I recommend starting with Interactive Brokers, Fidelity, or Charles Schwab. These are established firms with low fees and good technology. Don't worry too much about finding the "perfect" broker - the differences are marginal, and you can always switch later.

Understanding market hours is important. The US market is open from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time. That's 9:30 PM to 4:00 AM Beijing time during daylight saving, and 10:30 PM to 5:00 AM when standard time applies. Pre-market and after-hours trading exist, but spreads are wider and volume is lower. Stick to regular hours when you're starting out.

Here's the strategy I recommend for beginners. Start with index funds. Specifically, buy the S&P 500 through ETFs like SPY or VOO. This gives you instant diversification across 500 large US companies. It's boring, but it works. The S&P 500 has averaged about 10% annual returns over the long term.

Once you're comfortable with index investing, you can start adding individual stocks. But do it gradually. I suggest limiting individual stocks to no more than 30% of your portfolio when you're starting out. Pick companies you understand in industries you follow.

The biggest mistakes I see new investors make are trying to time the market, trading too frequently, and putting too much money in risky stocks. Dollar-cost averaging is your friend - invest a fixed amount regularly regardless of market conditions. This removes emotion from the equation.

Don't use margin or leverage when you're learning. Yes, it can amplify gains, but it amplifies losses too, and losses feel much worse than equivalent gains feel good. Master the basics first.

For research, I use a combination of Yahoo Finance for basic data, Seeking Alpha for analysis, and company investor relations pages for primary sources. Don't rely on any single source. Cross-reference everything.

Tax considerations matter. In most countries, you'll owe taxes on dividends and capital gains from US stocks. Understand the rules in your jurisdiction before you start. For US persons, the long-term capital gains rate (on stocks held over a year) is much lower than short-term, so there's a built-in incentive to invest long-term.

Finally, remember that investing is a marathon, not a sprint. You will have losing positions. You will miss out on stocks that go up after you sell. That's all normal. The goal is to compound wealth over decades, not to get rich overnight.